[10] OpenUP: opening up new channels for scholarly review, dissemination, and assessment

Abstract: The growing dissatisfaction with the traditional scholarly communication process and publishing practices has resulted in the proliferation of alternative review, publishing and bibliometric methods. Considering the diversity of platforms and channels by which these alternative dissemination/review/evaluation tools are communicated, there is an urgency to conceptualize the scholarly discourse and gather best practices which can further guide developments in this field. The EU-funded project OpenUP addresses key aspects and challenges of the currently transforming science landscape and aspires to come up with a cohesive framework for the review-disseminate-assess phases of the research life cycle that is fit to support and promote Open Science. The primary objectives of the project are (1) to identify ground-breaking mechanisms, processes and tools for peer-review for all types of research results (e.g., publications, data, software), (2) explore innovative dissemination mechanisms with an outreach aim towards businesses and industry, education, and society as a whole, and (3) analyze a set of novel indicators that assess the impact of research results and correlate them to channels of dissemination. The project employs a user-centered, evidence-based approach, engaging all stakeholders (researchers, publishers, libraries, funders, institutions, industry, public) in an open dialogue through a series of workshops, conferences and training, while validating all interim results in a set of seven pilots. The main objective of the OpenUP presentation at the LIBER Conference 2017 is to present the results of the project on the triptych alternative peer review, altmetrics and innovative dissemination from the first project year, and putting all these in parallel on the broader canvas of Open Science. We will present the first iteration of frameworks of alternative methods and tools currently in use by diverse research communities, as they were captured by the OpenUP case studies and an extensive survey of European researchers. These frameworks conceptualize ways researchers (1) communicate their scientific results at smaller, communal level or at a wider, global level, (2) evaluate each other’s work, and (3) employ altmetrics. The case studies are at the core of OpenUP’s activities, and our aspiration is not only to showcase new tools and services in the scholarly market, but also to identify the emerging methods, practices, and workflows. We will also present the outline of the seven pilot studies involving communities from four research disciplines (life sciences, social sciences, arts & humanities, energy) and their role in evaluating the first iteration of the framework. At the conference, we are seeking feedback from the LIBER community on the framework as well as the pilot studies and discuss how to best include and engage with the important stakeholder group of librarians. Bio: Michela Vignoli is Scientist and Open Science expert at AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. Her focus of interest lays on knowledge management in the digital era and on how to foster the transition of the current science system to a more Open Science. In the H2020 project OpenUP she contributes to researching novel ways of scholarly communication beyond traditional research channels and alternative peer review methodologies. Earlier this year she was nominated member of the EU high-level advisory group Open Science Policy Platform. As board member of the YEAR Network (Young European Associated Researchers) Michela considerably contributed to consultation activities with the European Commission and to the organisation of YEAR events. At AIT she contributed, among other, to various digital preservation and data science research projects (e.g. SCAPE, BITCRIME, e-Infrastructures Austria, Europeana Sounds)